Mammoth Sandwich Island Salsify

An heirloom native to Europe. Tasty in
soups and stews, or cooked alone. Plant in spring,
dig in fall; a non-sweet parsnip-like root. This variety
dates back to the 1800s. Young plants look like
grass.

This grows well in my Pacific Northwest garden, even in my relatively low sun conditions. All parts are tasty, but once they flower, be sure to either eat the flowers, or dead head them. They make a seed head like a giant dandelion! I was terrified I was going to start an invasive species! That said, if you keep on it and collect the seeds, you'll never want again for salsify! A tall plant that needs staking in the second year during flowering.

There's a reason this was a common vegetable in the 18th century - this plant does it all, all parts are edible, including the flowers; the ooze on the fresh peeled root is latex and can be used as chewing gum; and it has medicinal qualities. It's really better to steam, boil or roast it before peeling however (like a beet) if you don't want the latex to purple. It's a must have in any period garden! It spreads on its own like mad though - so if you want to limit production, eat those greens in your salad early and often. Roots are better in year 2.

These were easy to start but didn't like our summer heat and drought. They are tasty, however they are difficult to prepare for cooking. The biggest roots are about 8-10" long and 1" in diameter. They are skinny with lots of hairy roots sticking out all over, making them hard to clean. They also start turning brown as soon as you cut into them, so I dropped the peeled, sliced pieces into water mixed with some lemon juice. My family liked them sauteed with butter.
We will grow them again but not sure if they are worth the effort. They can be a good plant to put into a crop rotation. Remember that they are in the aster family, including lettuce, chicories, and sunflowers.
These roots should be planted in the spring. They can be harvested all fall and winter, and don't mind the cold (so far down to 12 degrees F).

This variety performed exceedingly well for us in Northwest Ohio and is an attractive plant when added to a mixed border or herb garden. Excellent flavor and superb production with no insect or disease problems at all for us. We loved digging and using the roots in fall stews and soups.